Door buffer



March 27, 1956 F. E. MALCOLM 2,739,343

DOOR BUFFER Filed March 4, 1953 INVENTOR FRANCIS E. MALCOLM Ma M ATTORNEY D0012 BUFFER Francis E. Malcolm, Arlington Forest, Arlington, Va. Application March 4, 1953, Serial No. 3403B 7 Claims. (Cl. 16-82) This invention relates to bufler devices for adjacent hingedly-rnounted doors, and more particularly, to a novel pair of cooperating buffer devices which are adapted to prevent such doors, including their door knobs, from in any way interfering with each other.

It frequently happens, in dwellings and other building structures, that two adjacent hingedly-mounted doors are so hung that they interfere with each other when both are partially opened at the same time, the door-knobs often interlocking and causing considerable annoyance, as well as damage to the finish of the door-knobs and/ or the ad jacent surfaces of the doors themselves; as well as to their hangings, such as venetian blinds, etc.

Among the objectives of the present invention is to provide a novel pair of buffer devices or fenders for doors of the type described which so cooperate with each other as to completely overcome the disadvantages set forth immediately hereinbefore.

Another object is the provision of a pair of cooperating devices of the class described which are efficient and durable in service, simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and not in the least unsightly from a decorative point of view.

A further object is the provision of a pair of buffer devices or fenders of the type described, one device of each pair being mounted on near the outer edge of a hingedly-mounted door and adapted to cooperate with a similar device on the corresponding portion of an adjacent hingedly-rnounted door; each of which devices may comprise a roller member which engages a curved trackway carried by the other and opposite device, the said trackway being so curved as to produce a smooth rolling effect with the roller with which it is adapted to cooperate; and the spacing of the cooperating elements being such that the door-knobs of the respective doors and the surfaces of the doors themselves which are immediately adjacent thereto arebarely but surely kept out of damaging contact.

The foregoing and other objects will become more apparent after referring to the following specification and annexed drawing, in which Figure l is a perspective of a pair of devices constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention as attached to two adjacently hung hinged doors, the place of attachment being adjacent the bottom edges of said doors and approximately below the door-knob region thereof;

Figure 2 is a perspective on a larger scale of one of the aforementioned devices and illustrating in clearer detail an acceptable form thereof; and

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, but disclosing the novel pair of cooperating buffer devices or fenders as mounted adjacent the tops of a pair of adjacent hingedly-mounted doors.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, and the following specification, wherein like numerals designate like parts, each of the buffer devices or fenders 2,739,341 Patented Mar. 27, 1956 of the present invention is shown as comprising an elongate body portion 2 having a thick end 4' and a considerably thinner end 5, the surface 7 of the elongate body portion 2 which lies between these ends (4 and 5) being in the form of a continuous, smooth, outwardly extending curve, the particular curve shown being generated on a radius of approximately eight inches and subtended by an arc of approximately 30 degrees. Such a curved surface ('7) for the buffer device of the invention has been found very satisfactory when used on interior doors which are 30-36 inches wide.

Thethick end 4 of the elongate body portion 2 carries a roller 9 which is preferably rubber-coated on its periphery and which extends for but a slight distance through a slot 11, the latter extending in a direction which is longitudinal of the trackway and at approximately the middle thereof.

Operation A pair of the buflfer or fender devices, constructed as described, are attached to immediately opposite portions of adjacently hung hinged doors to extend horizontally with respect thereto, and in such manner that their rollers 9 will contact each other at some point when both doors are partially open. While various horizontal levels may be utilized, the dual devices of the present invention are, for purposes of illustration only, shown in Figure 1 as being disposed adjacent the bottoms of the doors. It will also be found that the dual devices of the invention will function with great efi'iciency if positioned more or less immediately above the door-knob regions of the respective doors, and therefore somewhat proximate the outer or free edges of the said doors.

The elongate body portion 2, as well as its roller 9, may be constructed of various materials, such as plastics, metals of various kinds, etc.

It will also be understood that While the elongate body portion is susceptible to various decorative changes, it is essential to the present invention that the continuous, smooth, outwardly-curved trackway 7 be retained.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A buffer device for hingedly-mounted doors comprising an elongate body portion having one end thicker than the other and adapted to be rigidly attached to one face of a door in substantially horizontal disposition with its thicker end most adjacent the outer vertical edge of the door proximate a vertical plane intersecting the door knob, the outer face of said elongate body portion being curvilinear and providing a trackway, and a roller. carried by said elongate body portion adjacent the thicker of its two ends and projecting slightly outwardly from said curvilinear outer face, the thickness of the thicker end of said elongate body portion being such that, when two of said buffer devices are secured in opposed relationship to two hingedly-mounted adjacent doors which normally interfere with each other when opened at the same time, the said doors and their door knobs will be maintained in non-interfering relationship.

2. A buffer device for hingedly-mounted doors comprising an elongate body portion having one end thicker than the other end adapted to be rigidly attached to one face of a door in substantially horizontal disposition with its thicker end most adjacent the outer vertical edge of the door and proximate a vertical plane intersecting the door knob, the outer face of said elongate body portion being outwardly-bowed and providing a trackway, and a roller carried by said elongate body portion adjacent the thicker of its two ends and projecting slightly outwardly from its outwardly-bowed outer face, the thickness of the thicker end of said outwardly-bowed body portion being such that, when two of said buifer devices are secured in opposed relationship to two hingedly-mounted adjacent doors which normally interfere with each other when opened at the same time, the said doors and their door knobs will be maintained in non-interfering relationship.

3. A buffer device for hingedly-mounted doors comprising an elongate body portion having one end thicker than the other end adapted to be rigidly attached to one face of a door in substantially horizontal disposition with its thicker end most adjacent the outer vertical edge of the door and proximate a vertical plane intersecting the door knob, the outer face of said elongate body portion being outwardly-bowed and providing a tracicway, the thickness of the thicker end of said outwardly-bowed body portion being such that, when two of said buffer devices are secured in opposed relationship to two hingedly-mounted adjacent doors which normally interfere with each other when opened at the same time, the said doors and their door knobs will be maintained in noninterfering relationship.

4. A pair of bufier devices for a pair of adjacent hingedly-mounted doors which ordinarily interfere in op eration, said pair of buffer devices comprising portions which enable them to be attached to the adjacent faces of said doors and each including an elongate body portion, one end of said elongate body portion being spaced outwardly from its attaching portion to a much greater extent than the other end thereof, said first-mentioned end of the elongate body portion of each of said pair of buffer devices being disposed most adjacent the outer vertical edge of the door on which it is mounted, the outer surface of the elongate body portion of each of said buffer devices providing a trackway, and the outer end of each of said trackways including means for contacting the trackway of the opposite butter device, said opposed trackways and contacting means being so constructed and arranged as to prevent the knobs and other portions of the adjacent hingedly-mounted doors from interfering with each other at any position thereof.

5. A pair of butter devices for a pair of adjacent hingedly-mounted doors which ordinarily interfere in operation, said pair of butter devices comprising portions which enable them to be attached to the adjacent faces of said doors and each including an elongate body portion, one end of said elongate body portion being spaced outwardly from its attaching portion to a much greater extent than the other end thereof, said first-mentioned end of the elongate body portion of each of said pair of buffer devices being disposed most adjacent the outer vertical edge of the door on which it is mounted, the outer surface of the elongate body portion of each of said bufier devices providing a trackway, and the outer end of each of said trackways including means for contacting the trackway of the opposite buffer device, said opposed trackways and contacting means being so constructed and arranged as to prevent the knobs and other portions of the adjacent hingedly-mounted doors from interfering with each other at any position thereof, said bufier devices being mounted above the knobs of said doors.

6. A pair of buffer devices for a pair of adjacent bufier devices being disposed most adjacent the outer,

vertical edge of the door on which it is mounted, and a roller carried by the first-mentioned end of said elongate body portion and projecting slightly outwardly therefrom, the outer surface of the elongate body portion of each of said buffer devices providing a trackway for the roller of the opposite buifer device, said opposed trackways and rollers being so constructed and arranged as to prevent the knobs and other portions of the adjacent hingedlymounted doors from interfering with each other at any position thereof.

7. A pair of buffer devices for a pair of adjacent hingedly-mounted doors which ordinarily interfere in operation, said pair of buifer devices comprising portions which enable them to be attached to the adjacent faces a of said doors, and each including an elongate body portion, one end of said elongate body portion being spaced outwardly from its attaching portion to a much greater extent than the other end thereof, said first-mentioned end of the elongate body portion of each of said pair of buffer devices being disposed most adjacent the outer vertical edge of the door on which it is mounted, and a roller carried by the first-mentioned end of said elongate body portion and projecting slightly outwardly therefrom, the outer surface of the elongate body portion of each of said buffer devices providing a trackway for the roller of the opposite buffer device, said opposed trackways and rollers being so constructed and arranged as to prevent the knobs and other portions of the adjacent hingedlymounted doors from interfering with each other at any position thereof, said buffer devices being mounted above the knobs of said doors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,443,736 Garrett Jan. 30, 1923 2,562,094 Helling July 24, 1951 2,566,578 Minor Sept. 4, 1951 

